Vocational centre aimed at disengaged school children opens in Rochdale

Workshops at Alternative Construction Education

Alternative Construction Education (ACE), a vocational centre aimed at disengaged school children, has opened in the centre of Rochdale.

Part of the Coburns group based on Chichester Street, the centre takes children who cannot function in mainstream school and teaches them a trade and functional skills.

Chris Mills, who founded the centre, said: “I was a teacher for 10 years and worked with a number of these children who were disengaged with school. I decided to start a place where those children could go and learn something vocational.”

Supported by Rochdale Council, Chris and his wife Rebecca, along with Shaun Donnelly from the Coburns Group, built the workshops used for the centre themselves and have done all of the marketing themselves.

“We started in May and then had our open week event last week and then we had our first pupil in with us on Monday (29 September) and he was with us for four days,” said Chris.

Those referred to the centre can stay for however long the schools deem necessary.

Once at the centre, children can learn skills including bricklaying, plastering, tiling, joinery, painting and decorating and gain a multi skills qualification in the meantime.

“So far the response has been positive,” said Chris. “We have been supported by the top lady in the education department at Rochdale council and a number of schools have shown an interest in what we offer.”

As well as offering vocational skills, the centre is committed to continuing with Maths and English education but are planning to do so in a way that children won’t see it as Maths and English education.

Chris said: “For example, with one of the pupils, he built a brick wall so we incorporated the maths into that so to him, it wasn’t like he was having a maths lesson, he was just learning more about building a brick wall.”

The centre can be used by schools in Rochdale and further afield with Chris hoping to be able to offer a transport service.